Arabs riot near Joseph's Tomb

Arabs call for the destruction of Joseph's Tomb, Samaria Regional Council Head Dagan demands IDF protect the site.

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Uzi Baruch, 16/12/17 21:50

Jews visit Joseph's Tomb

Yaakov Naomi, Flash 90

On Saturday, Arabs disturbed the peace near Joseph's Tomb in Shechem (Nablus), throwing burning tires at the site.

Palestinian Authority Arabs published on social media calls to arrive at Joseph's Tomb and damage the site. Currently, rioters are parading towards Joseph's Tomb in order to desecrate it.

Joseph's Tomb is located in the Palestinian Authority created in the 1993 Oslo Accords, but since it is holy to Jews as well as Muslims, the site remained under IDF guard. IN 2000, it was attacked, looted and vandalized by Palestinian Arab rioters and a Druze IDF soldier bled to death because rescue forces could not reach him in time. In 2002, recurrent terrorist attacks led to IDF Operation Defensive Shield which returned Israeli security control to Nablus. Several years later, the tomb was refurbished by Israel and Jewish groups are once again allowed to coordinate visits to pray there.

Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan spoke with senior IDF officials and demanded they stop the parade and "if need be send forces in to retake Joseph's Tomb."

"This is one of the Jewish People's holiest sites, and its great historical importance is uncontested. I call on the IDF and diplomats to do everything necessary to protect this place, just like every other nation would protect its historical and religious sites. It is inconceivable that freedom of worship and protection of holy places only apply when it comes to other religions. It's time to act with our heads held high, and protect everything precious and important to us."

Hundreds of Arabs protested in Jaffa on Saturday night, flying Palestine Liberation Organization flags and carrying signs that read "Jerusalem and our land." Dozens of other Arabs protested at various places in Gaza, Judea, and Samaria, including in Ramallah and along the Gaza-Israel border fence, at Rachel's Tomb, and in the Jerusalem-area Arab town of 'Anata.

In the Jerusalem-area hostile Arab town of Isawiya, Arabs threw stones and firebombs, and shot fireworks at security forces.

On Friday, thousands of Arabs protested at nine different locations in Gaza, burning tires and throwing stones at the security fence and IDF forces. Hundreds of Arabs acted similarly in Jenin, where Border Police arrested fifteen rioters.

Last week, IDF forces arriving at Joseph's Tomb found the site vandalized again, with windows pulled out and broken, and light fixtures destroyed.